N00528:203
Winter-meditations directions how to employ the leisure [sic] of the winter for the glory…Winter-meditations directions how to employ the liesure [sic] of the winter for the glory…
Winter-meditations directions how to employ the leisure [sic] of the winter for the glory of God. : Accompanied with reflections, as well historical, as theological, not only upon the circumstances of the winter, but also, upon the notable works of God, both in, creation, and providence: especially those, which more immediately concern every particular man, in the whole course of his life: and upon the religious works, wherewith every man should acknowledge God, in and from the accidents of the winter. / By Cotton Mather. ; With a preface of the Reverend, Mr. John Higginson.Winter-meditations directions how to employ the liesure [sic] of the winter for the glory of God. : Accompanied with reflections, as well historical, as theological, not only upon the circumstances of the winter, but also, upon the notable works of God, both in, creation, and providence: especially those, which more immediately concern every particular man, in the whole course of his life: and upon the religious works, wherewith every man should acknowledge God, in and from the accidents of the winter. / By Cotton Mather. ; With a preface of the Reverend, Mr. John Higginson.
Boston: printed by Benjamin Harris over-against the Old-Meeting-House, 1693
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The SEVENTH Article in our Commemoration may be, The Benefits of God, relating to the Marvellous PRESERVATIONS which have been afforded us, by the Glorious Preserver of men. Have not our Lives been filled with Preservations, by Him that is, The Keeper of Israel? Yea, We have been preserved from Sin What if we had been Left unto our selves? […] should soon have been so many Devils Incarnate. When the Holy Bradford heard of any Wickedness committed in the Neighbourhood, he would say, Alas, In this Heart of mine, there is that which would cause me to commit the Like Wickedness, if God should give me up to my own Heart. Thus, we may see prodigies ⟨p. 58⟩of Wickedness in the world; but we must ascribe it unto the pure Grace of our God, that we also are not such Ruined and Rueful Creatures. Especially, considering what Furious Assaults of Temptation have been made upon us: For it is indeed probable, that most of us, have at some times undergone more violent Assaults of Temptation, whereof we may say, My Feet were almost gone, my steps had well nigh slipped. Had not the Good God strangely and strongly, kept us back, at those Times, we had undoubtedly cast our selves over the most Irrecoverable Precipices; but here was the Goodness of God, who would not Suffer us to be Tempted above what we are Able: 'tis He that may now Remind us, I withheld thee from sinning against me. And we have been preserved from Sorrow too. We have had that word fulfilled unto us, The Lord shall preserve thee from all Evil, the Lord shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in. Pause here, a little, I beseech you; How many Sicknesses have we Escaped? Either the Diseases never touched us, or, like Hezekiah, and Epaphroditus, we have been Restored from them. How many Casualties, have we also Evaded? Let the Traveller, Let the Mariner, Let the Soldier now Enumerate his Deliverances. One that Received a great Fall from an Horse, but Received no Hunt by the Full, said of it, I never had such a Deliverance in my Life; but one well Replied, Yea, Sir, you have, as often as you Rode without Falling at all. This I say, Our Deliverances have been far from Inconsiderable, even then, ⟨p. 59⟩when we have not had Sensible and Imminent Hazards to signalize them unto our Consideration. In a word, we have been surrounded with Evil Angels on every side of us, every day;
The SEVENTH Article in our Commemoration may be, The Benefits of God, relating to the Marvellous PRESERVATIONS which have been afforded us, by the Glorious Preserver of men. Have not our Lives been fill'd with Preservations, by Him that is, The Keeper of Israel? Yea, We have been preserved from Sin What if we had been Left unto our selves? should soon have been so many Devils Incarnate. When the Holy Bradford heard of any Wickedness committed in the Neighbourhood, he would say, Alas, In this Heart of mine, there is that which would cause me to commit the Like Wickedness, if God should give me up to my own Heart. Thus, we may see prodigies